Reference

Zechariah 9:5

Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
3

And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

4

Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

5

Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

6

And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

7

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Annihilation / Destruction
Keyword Match
100% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Destruction / Perishing Language
Keyword Match
90% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Annihilation / Destruction

This verse describes the destruction and perishing of cities and their inhabitants, which directly aligns with the theme of annihilation and destruction as a result of judgment. There is no textual evidence to suggest otherwise.

Destruction / Perishing Language

While the verse speaks of perishing and sorrow, it doesn't explicitly state that the fate described is due to wickedness, which is a component of the theme definition.

Visible Return

The verse describes the reactions of specific Philistine cities to an unspecified event, focusing on their fear, sorrow, and destruction. There is no mention of a returning figure, clouds, glory, or any other element related to a "Visible Return" as defined.